The Wisdom That Remains

{My big, fun, loving family}

This past weekend, I celebrated my birthday with my extended family and another very special birthday girl, my Grandma Hanky.

I turned 28, Hanky turned 81.

Throughout those 81 years, my grandma’s life has been filled with six crazy kids, 13 equally crazy grand-kids and a whole lot of love. When I think of Hanky, many happy thoughts come to mind: her gentle and kind nature, a passionate love for all things Christmas, waking up at her house in Wisconsin to a buffet of cereal and French toast sticks, the smell of her laundry room, her love of Frank Sinatra that she passed on to me, and knowing that I can count on her for wise words when I need it.

She was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We no longer visit her at the home she nurtured us in, conversations have become a bit more repetitive and I now have to re-introduce myself to my sweet grandma. It has been hard to watch her memory slowly fade away. But, my family and I know that there is plenty of wisdom that still remains.

A few weeks ago, my step-dad sat down with his mom and asked her some questions on video. It is a priceless gift that we will cherish forever. She offered simple but steadfast wisdom that I would love to share with you:

BLAIRE,
I am so behind the time on email and computer stuff-but i must say–before you turn 29 and Hanky is 82–very cool web stuff. Or whatever you kids are calling this hitech computer crap.
LOVE YA
JEFFY